


V. Hope That Tomorrow Gets Better

by logicalwritings



Series: We Didn't Start The Fire [5]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 06:54:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13025616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/logicalwritings/pseuds/logicalwritings
Summary: “It’s not a big deal; you’ve experienced far worse, you were abused and I was only-”“Stop it. Stop comparing your pain to mine all the time. You’re allowed to not be okay," Patton says.“No, I’m not,” Logan whispers.“Yes. You. Are.”





	V. Hope That Tomorrow Gets Better

Logan’s dad loses his job the middle of May but Logan dares not tell anyone. A selfish and awful part of his does not want any reason for him to be the gossip of the school. The gossip of Patton has died down and now everyone is keen on gossiping about Virgil because apparently his electricity was shut off due to his parents not being able to pay the bill. Everyone talks in hushed voices and feigns pity.

“If you need a place to stay, call me,” Macy says as she strokes his arm.

Virgil jerks it away. “My house isn’t being taken away,” he hisses and storms off to where Logan stands, still staring. “What’re you looking at, asshole?” he snaps just as angry, but Logan can see the exhaustion in his eyes.  

“Take a deep breath, Virgil,” Logan commands. “I have no ill intent, you know that.”

Virgil glares, but he does take a deep breath and yanks open his locker to snatch out his textbooks. “Sorry,” he says, his voice something between a whisper and a whimper.

“There is no need to be.”

Patton comes over and pulls open his own locker, smiling in turn at the both of them. “Hey, Lo. Hey, kiddo. How’re you guys?”

“Dandy,” Virgil says and shuts his locker with a quiet _click_.

“I am well,” Logan says just as Sara from his math class comes over and grasps his bicep.

“Hey, Logan.”

“Salutations.” He arm stings from the contact and he tries to be subtle as he pulls away but it doesn’t work because she scowls as if he’s done something gross.

“I need your help.”

“My help?” he asks.

Virgil stares at Logan with raised eyebrows and Logan tries to ignore it as she says, “Yeah. I’m failing math. I need your help.”

“How?”

“Can you come to my house to help me study?” Logan stares uncomprehendingly. “Please? I really need your help.”

Logan thinks of all the things he has to do. All the finals he needs to study for, the assignments he has, and the things he needs to do for his parents. He pushes that aside; he can afford a couple hours to help this girl out. “When?”

“Can you come over tonight?”

Logan nods. “What time?”

“Six?” She grabs Logan’s hand and scribbles her number onto his wrist. “Text me and I’ll send you my address.” She flounces off with a wave in their direction.  

Virgil keeps staring as if Logan’s grown a second head. “You like Sara?” Virgil asks.

“She has not done anything to earn my dislike,” Logan says, confused.

“That’s not-” Virgil huffs out a small laugh. “That’s not what a mean. Are you into Sara?”

“What does that mean?”

“Are you serious-?” Virgil’s smile drops an inch. “You’re serious.” Patton nudges Virgil and gives him a look that Logan does not understand.

“Virgil’s just asking if you have… crushy feelings for Sara?”

“Crushy?”

“Romantic,” Virgil explains.

“Oh. No, I do not,” Logan says. He frowns. “Why?”

“Dude, she’s completely into you,” Virgil says.

Logan only frowns more, his confusion growing. “Why does that matter? I am not “into” her.”

“She’s only asking to study with you so she can be with you. She’s not failing math class,” Virgil says.

“She’s not? Then why would she ask for my help?”

“Because she’s into you!” Virgil says in exasperation.

“That makes no logical sense,” Logan says.

“Take my word for it, dude,” Virgil says with a huff and stomps off, leaving Logan wondering what his problem is.

~\/~

He arrives at Sara’s house at 6:00 pm exactly. She answers the door in shorts and a tank top and immediately invites him up to her room. Logan gets out his books and the two study for less than a half hour until Sara stops, shutting the book on Logan, and looks at him.

“Thanks for helping me,” Sara says, hair dangling over her face. She smiles. “I appreciate it.”

“My friend told me you don’t actually require my help,” Logan says, feeling saying this is necessary.

“Did he now?” Sara asks, cocking her head. Her voice has gotten higher; Logan’s read about seduction enough times to know what it means. Suddenly he’s all-too-aware of the small bed they’re on, the small room they’re in, and how… _not_ conservatively Sara is dressed.

In short; Logan is an idiot. He just wants an escape.

Sara leans over and cups the back of Logan’s neck and squirms to get closer, straddling his waist with her still-curled legs. She slides her hands and places them both against the sides of his face and runs her thumbs over his jaw as she stares into his eyes; Logan’s sure his eyes are conveying nothing but terror, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

She leans over and meets her lips with his and begins kissing him. Logan’s heart rate speeds up, but he’s certain it’s not in excitement; Logan feels nothing more than terror and a wish for escape. She keeps kissing him as Logan remains unmoving. Sara runs her fingers through his hair and deepens the kiss, squirming even closer. Logan thinks he’s going to throw up. He tries to gently push her away, but she only tries to get closer.

The moment she grabs his crotch is the moment it is game-over for Logan. He shoves her away from him a little more roughly than intended and she flails as she falls back onto the bed. She seems to mistake this for something else and smirks up at Logan.  

“You wanna take control?” she asks.

Logan runs a hand through his hair and takes a deep breath, trying to soothe the feeling of nausea rising in his gut. “Sara, I apologise. I do not have romantic feelings for you.”

She sits up. “Oh, come _on_ ,” she huffs. “Why’d you come over?”

“I thought… I thought you needed help with math.”

“Come on, Logan, there’s no way you’re that stupid,” she says, crossing her arms. “Unless- Ew, are you gay?”

Logan startles. “My sexuality is none of your concern.”

“You’re gay. Damn.” She crosses her arms. “Sleep with me or I tell the whole school.”

Logan grabs his books and backpack and with shaking hands he carefully pushes the books inside the bag. “I am going home.”

“Oh my God, you’re making a stupid decision,” Sara snaps.

“Then I will take the consequences,” Logan replies and marches out of her room and down the stairs to the front door. He gets inside his dad’s car, hand still trembling.

_Overstimulated. Scared. Anxious. Breathe in- no, breathe out- hold- What?_

Logan drives the two miles to his house and sees his room light on inside. He frowns; he was certain he turned it off. He ignores the feeling that something’s off and heads to his porch. As soon as he opens the door his dad looks up from Kindle.

“Hey, bud. How’d it go?”

“Adequate,” Logan says, not stopping his pace at all as he makes his way to the stairs.

“Hey, Logan, Patton called-” Logan shuts his room door, savouring the peace it brings. Finally, alone, Logan slumps to the ground and buries his head in his hands and gasps for air.  

“Logan?”

Logan jerks up and sees Patton slipping off Logan’s bed and making his way over to where Logan sits.

“What- What are you doing here?”

“Your dad didn’t tell you I was up here?”

Logan sighs, running a hand over his face. “He tried.” His gut squirms again when another flash of what went down goes through his mind. He curls tighter and Patton crouches down in front of him.

“What happened?”

“Sara wanted to have sexual intercourse with me.”

Patton bristles. “What?”

Logan wipes his leaking eyes. “She kissed me. Then she wanted to go… further. I pushed her away. She came to the conclusion that I am gay. She threatened me and said that if I did not sleep with her she would tell the school of my sexuality.”

Logan looks up and sees Patton’s own eyes filling with big tears that trace his jaw. “What did you do?”

“I left.”

“You’re so brave, Lo,” Patton says, snatching up Logan’s hands in his. Patton looks hesitant, chest going up and down rapidly with barely held cries. He lifts Logan’s hands up and his lips just barely brush Logan’s knuckles. His lashes rest against the top of his cheek and tears slip their way out of Patton’s eyes and drop onto Logan’s hands.

Logan can’t bear this.

“I am not brave. I am a coward.”

“No, you’re not.”

“I do not deserve your… support,” Logan chokes out.

Patton’s hands hold onto Logan’s even tighter. He lets out a quiet sob and tears continue going down his face. Logan hates this; why is Patton crying over _him_?

“Patton, please stop.”

“I’m so sorry,” Patton gasps out and he shakes from the power of his cries. “It’s just not fair. You don’t deserve that.”

“It’s not a big deal; you’ve experienced far worse, you were _abused_ and I was only-”

“Stop it.” Patton shoves Logan’s shoulder. “Stop. Stop comparing your pain to mine all the time. You’re allowed to not be okay.”

“No, I’m not,” Logan whispers.

“Yes. You. Are.” Patton wraps Logan in a tight hug and Logan feels himself shaking in Patton’s hold. Patton must feel it too because he wraps his arms even tighter around him and presses a firm kiss on Logan’s head.

Logan feels like he’s falling apart; it’s okay though. Patton’s here.

~\/~

The next day everyone at school is talking about, “Logan’s gay. Logan’s gay.” Some reach out and offer Logan support. Others call him a fag and tape drawings of male genitalia on his locker. Some don’t care either way.

But shockingly; it becomes less of an issue within two days. Rumour has it that Roman punched a kid during gym class for chanting an explicit song about Logan’s “faggotry.” No one dares cross Roman, a popular kid with near-total influence over the school. So everyone’s gossip and teasing dies down to quiet murmurs in the hall when Logan passes.

Logan doesn’t mention it to Roman and Roman doesn’t mention it to him. But Logan sees the protective gleam in his eye when kids pass in the hall.

But who knows? It could all just be a rumour.

**Author's Note:**

> One more part to go and then this series, in theory, will officially be over. 
> 
> Thanks for sticking by me, friends.


End file.
